Esophageal stricture following high-dose-rate intracavitary irradiation for esophageal cancer.

Severe esophageal stricture developed in four of 12 patients who survived for more than 2 years after treatment for esophageal cancer consisting of external irradiation followed by high-dose-rate intracavitary irradiation. The strictures were seen between 13 and 21 months after initiation of radiation therapy. The length of the strictures appeared to relate to the length of the tumor before treatment and to the magnitude of the intracavitary dose. One of the four patients was helped by balloon dilatation.